The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-06-23

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Nuisance-vsry Little soclability.
tcOpv-soAsed. iss7.l
Rent is so high and space so valuable
In New York that . man who could
keep his family in . handsome manner
In any smaller place must live cooped
up in one of these wretched makeshifts
for homes called fats, or else take an
apartment In one of the better class of ten
ement-houses and there live and rear his
unhappy children, for children cramped
for room are always unhappy. These
fists are arranged on the most economic
principle. A main hallway gives access
TO the private halls. These usually
run the whole length Of the apartment
or suite of rooms. There are tiny parlor,
. still smaller bedroom, . box of bath.
room, then two smaller bedrooms not
over eight by ten and dining-room, which
usually is the largest in the fiat, as 1t
takes in the hall; and these rooms with
small kitchen are as many as are found
In . fat which rents for $50 q
month. To be sure, 1t has all the modern
Improvements, an electric bell, and q
Gordon, which from any height will open
the front door, and there is speaking
tube and a letter-box for every. family
and the privilege of drying ones clothes
upon the roof
But when one wants to rent one OF
these fats he must sign an ironclad lease,
he must have references and agree to
have no birds, dogs or cats, and he must
not carry on any business, not even of
teaching, and he must not drive a nail
into the wall, must rent for one year or
term of years, and generally furnish
security that in case he leaves before his
lease expires, or fails to pay his rent, the
security is to be held. 1t is very hard for
. family with children to get fiat, and
If rent is not paid in advance at the be-
ginning of the month the tenant is served
with notice to quit, and his furniture is
all set out on the sidewalk in case he does
not move away. This, however, is sell
dom done in the apartment-houses, as the
landlords make themselves secure in the
beginning.
There are flats that rent for $1,000 a
year, and others again can be had at
$16 to $17 q month These latter, of
course, are very far up or down town,
or over near one or the other of the
rivers, and they furnish homes to
thousands of respectable families
These cheap fats are generally
in what they call "double-deckers"-
that is to say, double houses, hav-
ing four separate flats on each floor.
In these they consist of one large room
that does service as kitchen, sitting,
and dining-room and laundry, two
bedrooms, both dark, but lighted by
glass windows opening from kitchen
and parlor, and small bath room back
Of the kitchen. Bookkeepers, clerks,
salesmen, teachers and the better class
Of mechanics rent these fats. Children
spring up spontaneously like mushrooms,
and they have no place to play in but
the dirty, noisy street. Such parents as
wish to keep their little ones from the
contamination of street life rear pale,
sickly weak children, shut up in their
narrow home away from sunlight and
fresh air.
In this cramped, narrow life that is still
striving for at least . show of respecta-
bility has sprung up new need-that of
folding beds. The two little bedrooms
were not enough, and many of these
families have one or two decent but poor
young girls who work in different places
and live or board with them; SO in each
and all will be seen various devices to
hide what Is perfectly transparent, that
the parlor, II not the kitchen also, serves
ct night for sleeping-room. There are
folding Lounge beds, sofa beds, wardrobe
beds, bookcase beds, draped mantel beds
writing desk beds and kitchen table beds
al Of them good for their purpose, but
most of them instruments of torture to
sleep ON. But they give space during the
day, and It II not considered at all proper
to have bed in parlor or living room
The brownst0ne houses In Madison
Lexington, Fifth and Park avenues and
many of the cross-t0wn streets neal
those avenues, particularly above Four.
teenth street, are occupied by wealthy
families, who find their spacious homes
all too small for themselves, but all the
rest all over the city furnish shelter te
from four to ten families esch-some
times as boarders and sometimes al
roomers only, and sometimes they arr
let in floors to different families.
The price of board in New York Il
from 48 q week to &25, and in some case
more, according to accommodation.
The price Of an empty or unfurnishet
third-story back room, in decent
neighb0rhood, is from two and a-half t.
i've dollars week; q furnished one jus
double. Many persons take large hOus,
: and furnish It, putting in each room bed
sofa, table, kitchen stove, dishes, etc.
and then renting the rooms for "ligh
housekeeping" each room to one fam
ily. In this they cook, eat, sleep, liv
and die. They are not to take boarder
or do washing In these rooms. The pric
u from three to six dollars, and ofte
more, per week in advance no pay, n
room. The landlsdy Keeps coal an
kindling for sale. The coal costs eigh
cents bucket (about ef6 per ton at tbs
Fate) and the wood six sticks for tw
! cents. She buys handful for twenty
nve cents containing 300 sticks. Th0s
who rent houses for the purpose of sui
& letting them In this manner pay from &c
70 $50 per month for them unfusnishet
: and they contain from fifteen TO twent
rooms. Every inch Of space 10 occupies